The news of the historic El Salvadorean vote comes on the anniversary of the publication of the groundbreaking study led by Prof GE Seralini, which found that the glyphosate-based pesticide Roundup - and a GM maize engineered to tolerate it - caused severe organ damage and increased rates of tumours and premature death in rats. Roundup was found to be toxic at half the level permitted in EU drinking water.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691512005637

El Salvador: Use of 53 chemicals banned

Despite opinions to the contrary, the new law includes Paraquat, Glyphosate, and Endosulfan in the list of chemicals banned from use in agricultural production.

From a press release by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources:

"With 45 votes in favor, members of the FMLN, Unidos por El salvador and GANA approved the amendment of a Law on the control of pesticides, fertilizers, and products for agricultural use, which allows the prohibition of 53 chemicals in El Salvador.

"Among the list of the 53 chemicals are Paraquat, Glyphosate, and Endosulfan, which caused controversy among right-wing deputies. Deputy Mario Ponce, of the Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA) party, opposed these substances being on the list, however, he did not have the support of other MPs.

"Nery Diaz, deputy of the Frente Farabundo Martí party (FMLN) defended the opinion on the grounds that paraquat is related to an increase in renal diseases."